When did this start?

[Loesh]

Ahhh I see, I hadn't read the book so I wouldn't know.

[Kol Saresk]

Yep. The novel gets to a point that while the Warmaster and allies are attacking planets, a Blood Angels fleet shows up. The Tenth Company has already basically pulled back into orbit and is discussing its next move along with Halasker. Halasker still has men on the planet below so he absolutely refuses to retreat until he can pull them up and blames the Blood Angels showing up "early"(their arrival had been predicted) on the Warmaster since he has the most seers and he[Abaddon] said it would be another month before Imperial reinforcements arrive. From there, the assembled Night Lords plot on how to escape, which involves first just ducking and running, and then Talos smarts off that they should also cripple any ships that move to engage them. The plan is agreed upon by both warbands with the Exalted being the only voice of dissent.

 

From there, Ruven contacts the 10th Company and demands they reengage their troops. The Exalted says "No, but we will help you fight the Blood Angels so everyone can retreat safely." Ruven basically replies "It ain't going to happen, we have too many resources pulled into this engagement. Either help us on the ground while we retreat, or suffer."

 

Three more Chapters show up and the Imperials launch their attack. Halasker still has men below because the Black Legion have taken to shooting down his Thunderhawks so the Exalted makes a deal, if Halasker will retreat with the Hunter's Premonition, one of the few remaining VIII Legion battle-barges, he will retrieve Halasker's men and give them sanctuary until the two warbands can meet up in the Eye of Terror. Halasker agrees and from there, the novel begins its end.

[Gree]

I don't believe I've ever seen the Black Legion compared to Ultramarines in that way. They are both the ''vanilla'' force of their respective factions, but Ultramarines are usually criticised for allegedly being Mary Sues. By contrast, the Black Legion is usually mocked as being a bunch of incompetent morons who repeatedly fail.

 

Actually in my experience I would say the Abaddon and the Black Legion will always be viewed as failures by the wider fandom, no matter what new fluff is published. People are stuck in their preconceived perceptions. GW could have Abaddon conquer the Imperium, destroy Terra, beat up Calgar and people would still call him a failure. I'm a member of many 40k forums and the ''Failbaddon'' meme is a widely-held consensus.

 

At least for me, that is the reason why I no longer play the Black Legion as an army. Too much stigma attached to them.